With You
by JerBearThompson
Summary: The world was on fire, no one could save me but you.


**Title: **With You  
**Author: **JerBearThompson  
**Rating: **PG  
**Spoilers: **None, although there's a line from _Cyberwoman_ in there. It doesn't really matter though.  
**Genre: **Drama, Romance  
**Characters: **Ianto/Jack, Team  
**Length: **5,300 words exactly.  
**Summary: **_The world was on fire, no one could save me but you. _  
**Disclaimer: **Nothing belongs to me. BBC, RTD, blah blah blah Cherry Chapstick.

**Prompt:** Song-fic to Chris Isaak's _Wicked Game_. As requested by Calli.

**A/N: **Yes, it is a song fic but it's really only one line of song and then a normal story chapter. So on and so forth. It just revolves around the lyrics… so to speak. Also, written in 24 hours! :D

With You.

--

_The world was on fire, no one could save me but you. _

--

There was fire. And screaming. And blood… oh god, so much blood. And he didn't know what to do.

He was searching for something, he didn't know what, his legs just ambling about, looking for the right direction to go in. Everyone was running… _Why were they running? _And he was supposed to do _something_ but for the love of god he just didn't know _what_.

People were on their knees, clutching at their heads, screaming for someone to help, for Christ's sake, _anyone_, please help! Running to nowhere, clutching onto each other, crying at the sound their feet made as they squelched through the blood-laden ground, trying to avoid the dead bodies that lay scattered about for as far as the eye could see.

'Doctor!' he screamed, his throat hoarse with smoke. Why wasn't the Doctor here? Why wasn't he helping? And why on _earth_ did Jack not really care? Why did he know on some level that it was only his instinct calling the name out of habit?

He presumed the Doctor would be around, to help these people, to deal with this… _situation_. His common sense was telling him that the Time Lord would probably be floundering about somewhere close, making up an antidote as he went along.

But he didn't care. He didn't want the Doctor near him. He wanted… _something_. It was lurking on the very edge of his mind, hazy, almost like a mirage. Taunting him to just reach out and… latch onto it.

_Strong warm arms around him, a strange accent murmuring sweet nothings in his ear. _

This is what he wanted. Or rather, _who_ he wanted.

His mind couldn't even grasp who it was, and yet it was all he could think about. It was all that was keeping his brain from taking in the extreme direness of the situation, the horror of what was happening around him. All that was keeping him grounded, keeping him _sane_.

All that was saving him.

--

_Strange what desire will make foolish people do. _

--

'Jack!'

The strong voice was accompanied by a strong hand gripping his shoulder, shaking it gently.

'Come on, Jack, wake up now. Please, cariad.'

Jack waited until he felt a warm hand stroke his cheek gently to open his eyes slowly.

'Jack!' Ianto's concerned face still wavered around the edges as it swam into view, and Jack belatedly realised he was crying as the younger man brushed a tear away with his thumb.

Ianto looked like he was about to burst into a rant about what Jack had been doing in his sleep, but as he opened his mouth to speak all he could do was let out a long, relieved breath and smile faintly. 'You okay?' he asked softly.

Jack wanted to say yes. He wanted say everything was fine, smile bravely, and go back to sleep, wrapped up in his favourite Welshman. As it was, he only got the first consonant out before a choked sob racked his body and he was being pulled up into a sitting position, a hand guiding his head to the familiar warmth of Ianto's neck.

'It's okay, you're okay.'

There was that voice again, murmuring into his ear, those same strong arms around him, one supporting his neck, the other rubbing small patterns into his back.

Jack cried for a long time. Or it maybe it was only minutes, seconds even. But it _seemed_ like a long time, and Ianto held onto him all the while, not once loosening his grip on the captain. He let his low voice, whispering in both English and Welsh, envelop the older man until his cries finally died down to a faint sniffling, and then again to just heavy breathing.

Finally Jack gurgled something incoherent, took in a deep breath of what could only be described as _Ianto Jones_, and expelled it with an exhausted sigh. It was only then that Ianto dared pull to back slightly, his face still impossibly close to the captain's. He stared into the red-rimmed eyes intently, looking for the answer to a question he knew would be stupid to ask.

So he didn't ask, he just stated it instead. 'You're okay.'

Jack gave the briefest of nods, averting his gaze almost ashamedly as he hastily wiped his tears off Ianto's bare shoulder. He momentarily considered apologising but he knew the younger man would never accept it. So instead he fell back onto his pillows and stared blankly at the ceiling.

He felt Ianto settle down beside him and when the Welshman spoke his voice was incredibly soft. 'Jack…'

'You called me cariad,' Jack cut him off, not daring to turn to face him lest he see the emotion in those cobalt eyes.

When Ianto's voice answered him it was muffled by a pillow. 'Yes Jack, I did.'

'Did you mean it?' Jack hated himself for having to ask.

'Did you want me to mean it?'

There was no uncertainty to the question. It was just plain, honest, _asking_.

'That's avoiding the question, entirely.' Jack could have almost smiled if his heart wasn't pounding painfully in his chest. 'Just tell me what you feel.'

There was a shuffling movement beside him and when it stopped Jack could feel hot breath drifting over his shoulder. 'It's not really that big of a deal, but for what's worth, yes, Jack. I meant it. Of course I meant it. Don't you know that I adore you?'

Jack was silent a long time, and when he finally turned over, it was so that his back was facing Ianto. 'Thank you,' he said quietly, wishing he could say more. 'For everything, just… thank you.'

A hand came to rest of his shoulder, but he sensed it was hesitant.

'You…' Ianto began, almost nervously. Like he knew he had to say something but really wished he didn't have to. 'You called out the Doctor's name.'

Jack almost didn't reply, but he knew that would be childish. So he cut straight to the core and choked out in a defeated voice, 'It was the end of the world, the Apocalypse.'

Ianto was quiet a moment, that hesitance tainting the air again. 'You wanted the Doctor.'

'No.' Jack took a deep breath and in one swift movement, spun over so he was lying nose to nose with the other man. 'I wanted _you_.'

'Jack-'

'Please Ianto, believe me. I needed the Doctor, to fix the… to help the…' Jack clasped his eyes shut tightly against the tears welling up, threatening to envelop him once again. He would have to endure that one day. Millions of years would pass and he would still be alive, he would be there to witness the…

_Fire, and screaming, and blood… oh god, so much blood. _

'They needed the Doctor. But all I could think about, all I wanted, was you.'

He felt Ianto lean forward just that tiny bit more, nuzzling into his cheek. 'Oh cariad,' he breathed, over and over again, lulling Jack into a gentle sleep. 'Cariad.'

--

_I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you. _

--

When Jack woke, it was with his head tucked securely underneath Ianto's chin, the younger man's throat vibrating against his forehead with each soft snore.

He gently untangled himself from the other man's clutches, smiling when Ianto sighed in his sleep and curled his arms around Jack's pillow instead.

'You adore me,' he mused quietly, Ianto's murmured words from the night before seeping into his head. Never before in his long life had someone said that to him - not even his dear Estelle. And while he had no doubt that she had adored him, no one but Ianto Jones had ever said the words aloud to him.

An overwhelming sense of happiness bubbled up inside him and lasted the whole way to the bathroom. It disappeared quickly when he saw himself in the mirror.

He was a mess. Disheveled hair, tear stained cheeks and swollen eyes.

He had essentially broken down and that mortified him. He was the captain, the leader. He was meant to be brave, be strong, at all times. It was part of his job description. And he'd totally let go.

Although on some level… he really didn't mind all that much. Anyone else and he would never have been able to live with himself for the shame. But that was the thing about Ianto, it didn't matter what you did in front of him. You could spill your guts, your feelings, absolutely break down until you were a shaking mess, until you were but a shell of a man, and nothing would change. He would still look at you the same way, with the same respect, the same admiration he preserved only for those he greatly looked up to. There would be no blackmail, no behind-the-back scornfulness, no thinking he was better than you. Absolutely nothing changed.

Jack granted himself a small smile, the very edges of his mouth twitching up.

_Only Ianto. _

'Hey.'

He waited for a pair of arms to slip around his waist but when they didn't come, he turned around to find Ianto still standing in the doorway, leaning up against the frame. He was still blinking sleepily and all his hair had been matted over to one side from where he had slept on his pillow.

Jack glanced from Ianto to his own feet and back again so quickly it was almost nonexistent. But Ianto had eyes like a hawk and picked up on everything.

He quickly closed the distance between them and rubbed his hands up and down Jack's arms gently.

'You okay?'

Jack nodded, reaching up and ruffling his hands through Ianto's hair. 'I will be after a shower and a strong coffee.'

Ianto chuckled in a way that only Ianto could. 'The perks of living with the tea boy,' he smiled.

'I'm very grateful,' Jack replied softly.

Ianto patted his arm once and was about to leave when Jack stopped him.

'Ianto, would it be… would you feel awkward if…'

Jack froze up. He couldn't say it. He didn't have the right to ask.

'Never mind,' he said quickly.

Ianto tilted his head slightly. 'Jack, would you feel awkward if I kept calling you cariad?'

God_damn_ that man is his ability to know exactly what you were trying to say.

Jack breathed out in relief and shook his head, 'No, never.'

Ianto nodded and with a carefully enunciated, 'Okay then, cariad,' disappeared from the bathroom.

Jack laughed gently, purposely avoiding seeing his reflection in the mirror as he stepped into the shower and let the hot water wash away all proof of his breakdown.

--

_No, I don't want to fall in love… with you_

--

'Need another coffee?'

The whispered voice was surprisingly loud in his ear.

Jack shook his head, 'No, I'll be 'right. All this caffeine can't be healthy.'

He grinned at the little frown Ianto shot him.

'It's my job, sir.'

'It's not,' Jack scoffed. 'And I'll have you know there are better pick-me-ups than coffee in this world.'

'I hear the couch is rather comfy these days,' Ianto retorted smartly.

Jack laughed heartily. 'You wouldn't kick me out of the bed. You'd miss me too much.'

Ianto raised an eyebrow as if to say, _oh really? Just tempt me._

'I'm sure the team would love a pot, though,' Jack murmured, leaning in close.

The Welshman nodded, it was early and any minute now the rest of the team would be trudging through the cog door looking dead on their feet.

He made to move away but stopped at Jack's gentle, 'Yan…'

Jack reached out tentatively and pulled Ianto into his arms, the younger man smiling against his neck.

'What's the occasion?' Ianto hummed contently.

'You're an amazing man, Ianto,' Jack had never sounded more sincere in his life. 'I don't need an occasion to hug you.'

Ianto's grip tightened just that little bit more and Jack had just had just buried his nose in the dark hair when the proximity alarm sounded and the two men sprang apart.

'Tea boy!' came Owen's croaky voice, and a second later he came into view followed by a slightly more awake-looking Toshiko. They both trudged off to their respective desks and Owen immediately let his head slump onto his folded arms, slightly muffling his demand of, 'Coffee!'

Jack pushed the irritated expression off his face and with a small glare in the doctor's direction, corrected, 'Please _Ianto_, could you be so kind as to make us all some coffee?'

'Whatever, Harkness, you look like shit.' Owen didn't even bother lifting his head.

Jack noticeably stiffened at that, (_not that anyone noticed, Ianto already having disappeared to the kitchen and Tosh tapping away at her keyboard, eyes locked on the screen_) and bit his bottom lip angrily.

'I'm a sight better than you,' he replied calmly before retreating to the safety of his office, stopping at the door to turn around and call, 'When Gwen arrives tell her I want to see her in my office. Now. Tardiness will not be tolerated in this vicinity. Understood?'

Then he slammed the door, but not before hearing Owen's grumbled, 'Someone's in a bad mood today.'

--

_What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you. _

--

Jack had been watching him for an hour. It seemed strange that the Welshman could have so much work while all Jack could do was sit slumped over his desk, head propped up on one of his hands, and watch him.

Every now and then Jack would zone out, his mind wandering off on a _what if?_ after Ianto's movements had reminded him of something. Currently, as a result of Ianto chewing on a pen which somewhat resembled chewing on a piece of straw, Jack was off in his own little world where he and Ianto lived on a farm. They had just finished feeding the ducks by the pond and were lying back on the bank, identifying shapes in the clouds when Gwen burst into his office, shattering the illusion.

Jack hastily minimized the CCTV feed and straightened upright, clearing his throat noisily. 'Gwen.'

'Jack, you wanted to see me?'

Jack gestured to the empty chair on the other side of the desk. 'Sit down.'

Gwen did so reluctantly, but not before giving the captain a strange look.

'You're late,' Jack began bluntly. 'Explain.'

'I know, I'm sorry, but I just got caught up with Rhys and-'

'I don't care,' Jack said sternly. 'I don't care about him, unless there's a dire emergency, you _will_ arrive on time. Understood?'

'Jack, he's my _husband_, I can't just-'

'What part of _I don't care_ didn't you understand?' Jack cut her off again. He was tired and angry and why, for once, couldn't his team just _do what he said_?

'No, Jack. You don't get to talk about him like that. Like it or not, he's an important part of my life.'

Jack rolled his eyes.

'Don't you remember what's it's like to be in love?'

For a moment, Jack froze up. Those words had been said to him before.

_Ianto. _

Ianto had once asked him those words, his heart on the line.

And now Jack knew what it was like… _did he? _Did he really know?

_Ianto. _

No, no, no. He wasn't in love with Ianto. He couldn't be. He wouldn't be. He did love the man, no doubt about that, but he wasn't _in love_ with him…

_Was he? _

No, no, NO. Jack Harkness didn't give his heart away. It was all too painful when death returned it to him.

He couldn't be in love with Ianto, he wouldn't allow it.

No, he _wasn't. _

'Get out,' he tried to keep his voice calm, emotionless.

'Jack, just listen to me for a second.'

'NO!' Jack slammed his hands down on the table.

Gwen stared at him, eyes wide and almost fearful.

He shook his head quickly, ashamed at his sudden outburst. 'No,' he continued in a softer tone. 'Just get out, and don't be late again.'

--

_What a wicked thing to say, you never felt that way. _

--

'Jack?'

'_What? _' Jack snapped, immediately feeling guilty when he saw that the tentative voice belonged to Ianto. 'Sorry, I… sorry.'

Ianto carefully shut the office door behind him and dragged the chair that only hours ago Gwen had been sitting in around to Jack's side of the desk. Then he sat down and carefully leaned in close to Jack, who had shut his eyes and was breathing heavily.

'Is everything okay?' He refrained from reaching out and touching Jack. _Not at work._

_Everything's just peachy_, Jack thought bitterly, then quickly rebuked himself. _No. don't take this out on him, it's not his fault. _

'I don't know what's wrong with me,' he said instead, slowly opening his eyes to see Ianto smiling reassuringly at him.

'You had a rough night and you're still suffering from that. You're not a saint, Jack. No matter how hard you try to think you are.'

Jack chuckled softly. 'A _nothing's wrong with you, you're perfect_ would have been nice too, but I suppose logic is okay.'

'Sympathy whore.'

'Smarty-pants.'

It was a whim, a spur of the moment thing that Jack so desperately wanted to do, _not at work_ rule be damned.

He leant forward and kissed Ianto's cheek gently, then rubbed the spot with his thumb.

'Cooties,' he explained.

Ianto grinned and grabbed his chin, giving him a chaste kiss on the lips before standing up.

'Alright, Captain Germs, well Tosh has picked up something in her scans and she'd like a conference to be held. It seems your little talk with Gwen this morning has scared all your other employees too much to talk to you and I was elected to face the big bad wolf.'

Jack growled in a way that was purely sexual, causing Ianto to roll his eyes and pull his chair back to the right spot.

'Two minutes, and please don't make a dramatic late entrance.'

Jack smirked and gestured to himself innocently, 'Me? Dramatic?'

Ianto hummed in affirmation. 'You're doing it already.'

'Snarky today,' Jack noted, watching the younger man retreat from his office.

--

_What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you. _

--

True to style, a whole three minutes late, Jack swept into the conference room, carefully avoiding his employees eyes.

As he reached the head of the table, Ianto dutifully stood to take the captain's RAF coat off him, no doubt having been put on just for dramatic effect.

'Tosh, what have we got?' he asked when he was settled down, propping his feet up on the table only to have them pushed down by a scowling Ianto.

The Japanese woman fumbled with some papers in her hands for a few moments before beginning shakily, 'Well, there's just been some abnormal spikes of Rift energy on top of the Altolusso apartment complex building.'

'Altolusso…' Owen repeated slowly, 'Isn't that where Jack does his mighty roof man-'

'Brooding,' Ianto finished for him, nodding his head in agreement. Owen smirked.

'I don't brood,' Jack grumbled. 'I go up there to clear my head. Tosh, continue.'

Tosh passed a piece of paper up the table to Jack, displaying rift spikes. She then proceeded to explain, in all the technical terms that Jack didn't understand, what was happening. Or at least… he presumed that's what she was doing. He had drifted off into his own world again after Ianto had skillfully reached over to point something out to him on the page.

The spikes looked like waves and when Ianto had pointed, it had caused a faint breeze over Jack's arm.

_The beach_, his mind supplied for him. Him and Ianto on the beach, climbing up the sandy dunes before sliding down again, lying back and identifying shapes in the… _what was with his daydreams and clouds? _

'Jack?'

Jack _mhm'd_ and turned to look at Ianto who was not-so-subtly indicating he was supposed to say something.

'Right, so what are we up against?'

'We don't know, genius,' Owen snapped. 'That's what Tosh just _said_.'

'Okay, we'll check it out, then,' Jack rounded on the doctor. 'Owen, you'll stay here and man the hub. I want you to keep us informed on anything and everything that comes up.'

'Hell no, Harkness, that's unfair and you know it!'

'Yeah, Jack,' Tosh piped up nervously, 'Maybe I should stay instead. After all, I know what to look for.'

Jack nodded. 'Fine, Tosh you stay and keep us updated. Owen, you help.'

Owen's smirk quickly fell from his face.

'Gwen, Ianto, I want you two armed and at the SUV in ten.'

Jack stood and clapped his hands twice at his non-respondent team. 'Come on, work to do.'

Owen rolled his eyes.

'So I put you out of the field, come on Owen, it's not like it's the end of the wor-'

_Fire, and screaming, and blood… oh god, so much blood. _

Jack froze. He was vaguely aware of Ianto telling the team to get moving, but it wasn't until the others had left and Ianto was tapping his face gently, calling his name, that Jack actually regained focus of the world.

'Jack,' _tap. _'Come on Jack,' _tap. _'You're okay now,' _tap_. 'You're okay, cariad.'

'Cariad…' he repeated softly.

'Yes,' Ianto breathed. 'That's right, _cariad_.'

Jack took a deep breath in. 'Don't leave me alone, Yan. The blood and the screaming… don't leave me alone…please.'

He sounded so broken… so empty…

Ianto wanted to say, _Never, Jack, never_. But he knew he would eventually have to leave. So instead he just hugged the captain tightly. 'You're not alone. I'm right here, cariad, right here.'

--

_What a wicked thing to say, to make me feel this way. _

--

'_Okay, coming up on your left_,' came Tosh's tinny voice over the comm system as Jack turned the SUV into Bute Terrace.

He pulled into the curb regardless of the _No Parking_ sign and quickly slipped out of the car, cocking his Webley as he did so.

'Gwen, I want you to patrol the vicinity, nothing gets in, nothing gets out, got it? Ianto, with me, stay close,' he commanded as he heard two other guns being cocked behind him.

Gwen nodded and disappeared around the edge of the building, looking for anything that may appear to be out of the ordinary. Ianto quickly fell into step behind the captain.

They walked in silence, Jack only speaking once to state, '_Torchwood'_' and flash his badge to the receptionist to grant them access to the pinnacle.

Jack ventured out onto the roof first, gun drawn out in front of him, coat billowing impressively in the sudden breeze.

When he saw nothing of immediate danger, he beckoned behind him for Ianto to follow.

'About time you got here.'

Jack jumped at the gruff voice and spun around, training his gun on the creature sitting on the ledge that ran around the length of the building.

It tossed a small contraption to Jack, and he caught it sharply.

'Cloaking device,' the creature said, 'Handy little thing. Don't need it anymore, you can take it for your collection.'

Jack tilted his head slightly and raised an eyebrow, 'Collection?'

'You're Torchwood, aren't you? You collect alien artifacts?'

Jack shrugged and threw the device behind him for Ianto to pocket. He then adjusted his grip, 'Among other things.'

The creature smiled, its lips peeling back over long white fangs. It had the essential build of a human, although it was covered in thick brown fur except for its arms which were silver and scaly. Whether that's how its arms naturally were or it was wearing some sort of arm bands, Jack didn't know. It had wolf-like ears but no muzzle and as far as its nose went, it was basically human. Apart from its sharp white incisors and equally white claws, it seemed harmless.

'You're admiring my form,' the creature grinned.

'What, no tail?' Jack retorted.

'Rhyjek do not have tails,' it remanded him. Jack just swung his gun up a bit.

'There is no need for weapons,' it continued calmly. 'I am not a threat, nor will I harm you if you are willing to cooperate.'

'Cooperate, what do you mean?' Jack asked nervously.

'You have something of ours. I would like it returned.'

'Something like what?' Jack's eyes narrowed.

The rhyjek tapped its claws on its jean-clad leg thoughtfully.

'Mr Harkness-'

'That's Captain Harkness to you.'

'Captain Harkness, are you aware of an abnormally high level of vortex energy within you?'

'Yeah…?'

The creature nodded as if that were the answer.

'You… you want me?'

'Don't flatter yourself, Captain.' It smiled thinly. 'Our planet thrives off vortex energy, without it our numbers will dwindle and eventually die out. We were recently robbed of a fair amount of this energy, and we have tracked down that it was all channeled into you. For what reason, why are not exactly sure.'

He couldn't die. _That's_ why he couldn't die!

'So you want… my vortex energy?'

'If you will,' the creature nodded.

'Then… then take it!' Jack threw his arms into the air.

The rhyjek shot him a strange look. 'If you are willing to expel the energy into a suitable apparatus so that it may be contained and transported, I would gladly abide.'

Jack let his gun fall to his side as a horrible feeling welled up in the pit of his stomach. 'I can't I… I don't know how.'

The rhyjek nodded. 'Then you will accompany me back to my planet, and be destroyed if need for us to retrieve the energy.'

Jack swallowed painfully. 'And if I refuse?'

'Then there will be a death penalty.'

Jack bit down on his bottom lip and brought his hands up in surrender.

'Jack…' came a panicked plea from behind him, a strong Welsh lilt to the name.

'Then kill me,' Jack challenged calmly.

The creature smiled eerily. 'The death penalty is not for you, Captain. A loved one for the many loved ones I will lose, that is our final agreement.'

Before the words could even register properly in Jack's brain, the rhyjek was lunging forward, latching onto Ianto around the waist and throwing him to the side of the building.

Ianto cried out and tried to stand up, painfully aware of how close he was to the edge and how quickly the rhyjek was advancing in on him.

'IANTO, DUCK!'

Years of experience had given Ianto quick reflexes and he swiftly threw himself to the ground, a second before two gun shots rang out.

The creature grunted and fell forward, sinking its claws into Ianto's calf muscles before rolling of the side of the building, taking the Welshman with him.

--

_No, I don't want to fall in love. _

--

'IANTO!' Jack yelled, throwing himself forward the latching onto the fingers that were rapidly loosing grip on the ledge of the building. The sudden weight pulled him further on his stomach, nearly taking him over as well.

'Ianto, oh god, no, please! Christ… Ianto…' Jack's eyes were welling up with tears, threatening to spill over his face. 'No, no, no… Hold on, please hold on.'

'Jack…'

Ianto's voice was hoarse and throaty, and when Jack finally looked down the younger man was staring at him with shining blue eyes. The rhyjek, its own eyes glazed over in death, still had its claws buried into Ianto and it was hanging limply beneath him, swaying hazardously in the wind.

'Jack, let go. Please.'

'No,' Jack sobbed, scrabbling for a better grip. He slowly worked down from Ianto's fingers until he could fasten his hands around the younger man's wrist, holding it as tightly as he dared.

'Christ, Ianto, no, you said you wouldn't leave me. Please don't leave me, Ianto.'

'Jack,' Ianto's own eyes were beginning to form tears, but there was no mistaking the acceptance in his eyes. 'Jack, don't do this. You can't save me. You'll only end up killing yourself as well.'

'Yan…'

'Please Jack… I don't want you to go through that pain.'

Jack's whole body shook with a choked sob, his chest heaving painfully and his cheeks wet with tears. He shook his head forcefully.

'You'll find someone else to make the coffee,' Ianto smiled up at him, 'someone else to warm your bed.'

This produced the noisiest sob yet from the captain. It was almost a howl.

'I can't replace you. I don't want to replace you.'

Even given their current situation, Ianto still hesitated to ask, his whisper nearly lost in the wind. 'Why?'

'Because I love you,' the words were distorted, mixed in with Jack frantic cries.

'God, Yan… I love you so much it hurts. So much I sometimes forget to breathe. I _love_ you. I am _so_ in love with you…'

'Okay, Jack,' Ianto murmured, his own voice nearly cracking. 'Just hold on.'

Jack buried his face into his outstretched arm for a moment, holding on for dear life while Ianto swung beneath him. A grunt of pain and a Welsh swear word brought his head back up to stare below.

With one hand, Ianto was slowly wrenching the long white claws out of his leg, each one making a sickening slurping noise as is was pulled free.

'Hold on, cariad,' he said softly when he saw the older man staring down at him.

'Please don't leave me,' Jack whispered brokenly.

'I won't, it's okay,' Ianto smiled, before jerking another claw from his leg with a satisfying squelch. His face contorted in pain and for a moment he just hung there, swaying, before grasping onto the next claw, taking a deep breath and yanking it out.

Jack tried to wriggle his shoulders a bit, get the blood flowing in his arms again so he could ready himself for the pull he knew was about to come.

Finally, with a strangled cry, Ianto pulled the last talon free and let the rhyjek fall to the ground, far below, listening for the distant '_thud'_' is hit a flat surface.

'Jack…'

'I love you,' Jack cried. He couldn't do it. He didn't have enough energy to pull the man up over the ledge. His arms had been idle too long. 'I _adore_ you.'

'Jack!'

The voice was panicked, and Welsh and… _female_.

'Gwen!' Jack whimpered. 'Help me Gwen, please help me.'

In two seconds the woman was kneeling beside him, reaching down to grasp Ianto's arm and pull back tightly.

Jack threw as much of his weight back and he could and was relieved when Ianto's arm scraped up over the concrete, his elbow hooking onto the roof's edge. He scrabbled to his knees and latched onto Ianto's bicep, tugging the man up further.

When his torso was high enough to drape over the ledge, Jack moved his hands underneath the younger man's arms and gave one last heave, Gwen letting go and retreating slightly, giving the men their space.

Ianto slid back onto the roof, falling on top of Jack and pushing him onto his back.

'Jack…' he whispered, his tears finally spilling over the rims of his eyes.

'Ianto, I'm so sorry. I love you. God, I love you.'

'I know,' Ianto rolled to the side and hugged Jack tightly, afraid to let go. Even his legs were twined around the other man's.

Jack leant forward and pressed his lips against Ianto's, still crying as he kissed him desperately.

'Don't ever leave me,' he whispered in between kisses.

'I won't, I love you Jack.'

--

_The world was on fire, no one could save me but you. _

--

Fin.


End file.
